Reinforced rail-joint.



E. M. SMITH.

REINFORGBD RAIL JOINT.

APPLIUATION FILED ooi'. 7. 1912.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

E. M. SMITH.

RBINPORGED RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 7, 1912.

1,086,734. Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SEEBT 2 WIHHIHHHHHUHHIHuw lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR M. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REINFORCED RAIL-JOINT.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, EDGAR M. Sarria-r, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois,l

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Reinforced Rail-Joints, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a partof this specification.

My invention has for its object to produce ai simple and strong rail joint.

A further object of my invention is to produce a reinforcing device for splice bars so as greatly to increase the strength of a joint containing the same.

A further object of my invention is to produce an efficient reinforcing meansfor splice bars now in use.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity( in the claims; but for a full understanding of in y invention and of its objects and at vantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a joint arranged in accordance with vthe preferred forni of my invention; Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing the opposite side of the joint; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken at the right hand side of Vthe center of the joint, as viewed in Fig. 1, and looking toward the left of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal'section through the joint with the rail ends removed; and Figs. 5 and (i are bottom plan views of the l'reinforcing members.

In the drawings I have illustrated only a single preferred embodiment of my invention used in connection with a 'cominon'form of splice bar; but, while I consider "the specific arrangement illustrated as being probably the best form of my invention, and while I shall, for the salte ofbrevity, describe only this single formin detail, I do not desire to be limited to any particular construction and arrangement except as pointed out in the definitions of my invention which constitute the appended claims.

Referringnow to the drawings, l and 2 represent two meeting rail ends joined together by suitable Vsplice bars, 3' and 4. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 7, 1912.

per edges of the auxiliary bars,

Patented Feb. 10,1 914..

serial No. 724,3oo.

splice bars are of the type having an upper chord or body portion enlarged at the top as indicated at 5 and provided at the bottoni with a foot liange, G; the enlargements fitting under the heads of the rail ends and the foot flanges overlying and resting upon the rail bases. The enlargement extends upon both sides of the body portion so as to provide each splice bar with an outwardly-projecting rib or head, 7 along the upper edge. The splice bars are fastened to the rails by means of the usual bolts, 8.

In accordance with my invention I add to the old structure heretofore described a reinforcing device which will add greatly to the strength of the joint. To this end I have provided auxiliary splice bars, f) and 10 each consisting of an upper chord l1 and a foot flange l2. The parts are so proportioned that the foot flange of each auxiliary splice bar overlies and lits upon the foot liange of the corresponding main bar, while the upper chord of cach auxiliary splice bar tits against the outer face of the corresponding main splice bar and engages with theunder side of the correspoiuling rib or head, 7. The auxiliary splice bars need not be as long as the main bars since the need for reinforcement is greatest at the point where the two rail ends meel'T and I have therefore illustrated the auxiliary splice bars as being simply longenf'uigh to extend `well beyond the two iniddlebolt holes of the joint; the auxiliary splice barsbeing held in place by means `of the two intermediate fastening bolts, S, which pass through registering holes in. the four ba and in the webs of the rails. In order lo secure both light-ness and strength, the main portion of each auxiliary splice bar may be made relatively thin, an outn'ardly-projeiting strengthening bead or rib 13 may he placed along the top and ends, and a comparatively widr: stilfening rib lll may be placed just. at the renier so as to lie at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the rails.

It will be secu that by tilting the auxiliary splice bars beneath lle heads or ribs on the main bars, the downward pressure on the main bars is carried directly to thc upper edges of the auxiliary burr; cull;v of thc bolts and without idle. zone at any point in the ai" Furthermore the outwardly-projeciiing ribs or heads serve to guard and protect the uppurpose of obtaining still further strength For tlu."

and transmitting some of the load on the rails directly to the auxiliary splice bars, I have provided the latter with inwardlyproject-ing flange members which extend beneath and. in engagement with the rail bases, each flange preferably extending substantially from one side of the rails to the other. In the particular arrangement shown, the member 10 has a wide inwaidly-extending flange, 15, which is long enough to extend entirelyy across the under side of the rails, this flange having a recess in its upper face into which extends a narrower flange or tongue 1G forming part of the member 9. The parts are so proportioned that when the elements of the joint are assembled, the upper faces of the members 15 and 1G lie in the salne horizontal plane and engage with the unde-r side of the rail bases. By interlocking the members 15 and 16, relative displacen'ient lengthwise of the rails is prevented, while at the same time relative transverse adjustment is afforded in order to permit wear to be taken up or renable the splice bars to be fitted to rails varying somewhat in size. The transverse adjustment has no effect upon the elevation of the upper faces of the flange members 15 and 1G, these faces remaining at all times in engagement with the rails.

rl`he llange member 15 may conveniently be made up of two separated arms, 1T and 18 projecting inwardly from the. lower edge of the member 10 and connected together at their free ends by a depressed crosspiece lying below the upper face of the member 15 a distance somewhat greater than the thickness ol the tongue or flange 16 so that the latter may be slid freely in place between thel arms 1T and 1S. I also prefer to incline the inner edges or faces of the arms 17 and 18, as indicated at 20, and to cut awayt-he lower corners at the sides of the member 1li at angles correspmn'ling to the inclination of the fac-es 20, as indicated at Q1, so that as long as the rails are resting upon tbe` member 16 the pressure will be transmitted to the member 15.

I claim:

1. A' splice bar device comprising body portions adapted to lie beside the meeting ends of two rails, tongues or flanges extending inwardly from the lower ends ofI'the body portions and adapted'to underlie the bases ot' the rails. said tongues or flanges being intcrhwlud so as to prevent relative movements in the direction of the length ol the rails and permit relative movements in a transversedirection without varying the relative positions of their upper 'faces with respect to the plane otl the rail bases. and Shoulders on one of said tongues or flanges engaging with the under side of the other tongue or flange, to transmit a downward thrust on the latter tongue or flange to the other.

2. A splice bar device tor rail joints comprising two members each having a body portion adapted to lie at one side of the meeting ends of two rails, one of said members having at. its lower edge a flange extending inwardly so as t-o underlie the bases of the rails, said flange having a recess in the top thereof, and the other of said members' having an inwardly extending part adapted to lie within said recess, and a cross piece on said flange underlying the bot-tom of said part..

3. A splice bar device for rail joints comprising two members each of which has a body portion adapted to lie beside the meeting ends of two rails, one ot' said members having at its lower edge an inwardly projecting flange adapted to underlie and engage with t-he bases of the rails, said flange having a recess extending through its upper face. in a. transverse direction, and the other member rhaving an inwardly projecting part adapted to lit ywithin said re.- cess and underlie and engage with the bases of the rails, said flange having shoulders underlying said part and adapted to transmit a downward thrust on said part to said flange.

4. A splice bar device for rail joints comprising two members each of which has a body portion adapted to lie beside the meeting ends ottwo rails, one of said members having at its lower edge an inwardly projecting flange adapted to underlie and engage with thebases of the rails, said' flange having a recess extending'through its npper face in a. transverse direction, and the other member having an inwardly projecting part adapted to fit within said recess` and underlie and engage with the bases of ,the rails, the side walls of said recess and the adjacent corners of the part lying therein being inclined. A

A splice bar device for rail joints Coln- 'prising two main bars, auxiliary bars lying out-side. of and beside the main bars, one of said auxiliary bars` having an inwardly projecting flange at its lower edge adapted to underlie and engage with the bases of the rails Vto which the device is applied, said tiangehaving in its npperlace a recess extending transversely ot' the rails, and the other auxiliary bar having an inwardly extending part fitting into said recess.

ln testimony whereof` I sign this specifiration in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR M. SMITH.

ll'itnesses: j i

IVM. F. Frnci'm-zxlmicrr,

Copies of this patent may be obtained to'r ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C." 

